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Unrighteous dominion may not seem like something Mormons would encounter often in their marriages, but “it’s more common than we think,” Julie de Azevedo Hanks says.

In a recent podcast with Angilyn and Nate Bagley, Hanks, an LDS licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist, explained what unrighteous dominion is and how it can be harmful in marriages.

But what is unrighteous dominion and how do we recognize it in our marriages? To help illustrate, Hanks pointed out three ways you could be using unrighteous dominion without realizing it.

1. Making Decisions Without Counseling with Your Spouse

“I’ve seen a lot of financial decisions made or employment decisions made without counseling and consulting a spouse,” Hanks explains. “Taking a new job that requires the family to move is not just something you inform your spouse of.”

The Church has advised that members make these kinds of decisions together during family councils and not leave these impactful decisions up to just one spouse.

“The family council is the most basic of the Church,” Our Family: A Practical Guide for Building a Gospel-Centered Home, reads. “Under the direction of the father and the mother, this council can meet to discuss family problems, work out finances, make plans, support and strengthen family members, and pray for one another and the family unit.”

Rather than one spouse making all the decisions, we should be including our families in decision-making to avoid unrighteous dominion.

To read the full article on LDS Living, click here.